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GeForce 8800 GTX Recall

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the get-over-here dept.

An anonymous reader writes "From vr-zone.com: 'We have received news that all the 8800GTX cards out in the channel are being recalled due to manufacturing defect. We heard it is probably due to a resistor controlling 2D/3D switching and that leads to 3D corruption. However, the defect doesn't affect the 8800GTS cards.'"

58 of 84 comments (clear)

  1. Red alert! by Rob+T+Firefly · · Score: 2, Funny
    We heard it is probably due to a resistor controlling 2D/3D switching and that leads to 3D corruption.
    Dimensional instability! Quick, get three versions of the same starship to simultaneously generate a static warp shell! Only then we can contain the flood of anti-time, and continue our symbolic life lesson at the hands of a smug omnipotent bastard.
    --
    Slashdot Burying Stories About Slashdot Media Owned
  2. twisted transistor by drac0n1z · · Score: 1

    twisted transistor..

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    This is my sig.
    1. Re:twisted transistor by trybywrench · · Score: 1

      twisted transistor..

      We're not gonna take it! No! We ain't gonna take it!

      --
      I came to the datacenter drunk with a fake ID, don't you want to be just like me?
  3. That's what happens... by hrrY · · Score: 1

    When your greedy and can't wait for ROI according to your production schedule like a *normal* company...

    1. Re:That's what happens... by tomstdenis · · Score: 1

      It happens. It isn't like there isn't a huge market for yuppy gamers who HAVE TO HAVE THE LATEST.

      If people were a bit more conservative we wouldn't have a 4-month release cycle for GPUs. They'd spend more time refining the technology, and you'd be doing more with less.... yada yada.

      Personally, my GeForce 5200 was fine, the only reason I got a 6600 was that it was the cheapest non-turbocache PCI-E card I could get at the time [and the 7xxx series was out then]. I can play doom3/quake/enemyterritory just fine at high res (well not for doom3, but the rest is fine) and decent frame rates.

      If I wanted to spend $400 on my computer I'd upgrade the CPU from the current E6300 (which is overclocked to 2.94GHz) to a E6600 and put less stress on the northbridge (which is clocked at 420MHz up from 266MHz).

      Tom

      --
      Someday, I'll have a real sig.
    2. Re:That's what happens... by hrrY · · Score: 1
      If people were a bit more conservative we wouldn't have a 4-month release cycle for GPUs. They'd spend more time refining the technology, and you'd be doing more with less.... yada yada.
      Which is my point exactly, it's *almost* like the 7xxx series fiasco that is still playing itself out. God forbid your an early adopter...does that mean that a customer should have to buy 2 of the same card to gain the benefit of some form of advertised stability? Ummm, that's a negative good buddy...at some point people will stop caring(i.e. stop dropping the big bucks on launch day)Otherwise, Intels do not lean as heavily on the northbridge as AMD's do, from an FSB perspective anyway.
    3. Re:That's what happens... by tomstdenis · · Score: 1

      People should stop buying more than they need for graphics. That's the real problem [same could be said for processors, but frankly I think that's less of a problem].

      Nvidias business model revolves around rolling out the largest, most current consuming monstrosity possible so long as consumers keep buying it. If the customers shifted their spending habits from "I got a small wee wee and need a big pee cee" to "I really can get by with a 6xxx or 5xxx series card" they would spend more time making the middle-line products more mature and refined.

      Tom

      --
      Someday, I'll have a real sig.
    4. Re:That's what happens... by dpilot · · Score: 1

      I have done what you suggest, in the past.

      But now I find it annoying that the sub-$100 market has gone completely to castrated video cards. That didn't used to be the case. I have both Radeon 8500LE and FX5700LE cards that were sub-$100, and I'm quite happy with them. The features are all there, just the clock is slightly degraded. Obviously I'm not a hard-core gamer with cards like that, but for what I do, they're fine. On my newest system, I searched until I found an nVidia 6200 card that was not TurboCache, and got it for about the same price as the others. Unfortunately it has proven to be castrated with only half a memory bus, and is slower than the old FX5700.

      It looks as if they may well have managed to kill the cheap-but-decent sub-$100 market, and moved the minimum decent price-point from $89 to near $150.

      --
      The living have better things to do than to continue hating the dead.
    5. Re:That's what happens... by AcidLacedPenguiN · · Score: 1

      I bought my top of the line video card because I need something to accurately render the billions of polygons in my 16x Anti-Aliased E-Wang at 120 FPS, you insensitive clod! On an entirely unrelated note, I choose not to measure my video card's power in Gigaflops. . .

      --
      disclaimer: I've been known to store numbers in my ass for which to dig out when quantities are required.
    6. Re:That's what happens... by Jett · · Score: 1

      I've seen sub-$100 6600GTs. I agree the low-end has been a lot of crap in the past, but a 6600GT is a solid card to have as the "low-end" even if it is a few years old now. I personally can't stand the contemporary nomenclature used by ATI and nVidia and I think it's one of the reasons people bitch about the low-end cards, it's really hard to figure out relative performance without doing a lot of research.

    7. Re:That's what happens... by dpilot · · Score: 1

      I bought a little over a year ago, and did at least enough work to know to avoid TurboCache, but I guess not enough to know about the 64/128 bus issue. At the time, the 6200 that I bought was one of the few I saw sub-$100 that looked decent - I just wish I'd known a teeny bit more, and maybe I could have found a full-bus version for only a little more.

      It's also stunning just how populated the crap-space is. There must be more castrated cards than there are high-end cards. Now that I think of it, I wonder if it's a case of, "Oops, this design rev had that defect, let's 'feature' it on a new low-end card."

      --
      The living have better things to do than to continue hating the dead.
    8. Re:That's what happens... by I+Like+Pudding · · Score: 1

      Hey, asshole, the constant unending push to release the fastest card on the market drives prices down faster. Even if it didn't, you'd still be an asshole. If I want to spend $600 for a new video card because I think it's worth it, then I will. A 6600 don't cut it at 1920x1200.

    9. Re:That's what happens... by afidel · · Score: 1

      7600GS. Pixel Shader 3.0, dedicated memory, and uses 27W max! Costs less than $100 for a 256MB-DDR2 PCIe model.

      --
      There are 4 boxes to use in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, ammo. Use in that order. Starting now.
    10. Re:That's what happens... by dpilot · · Score: 1

      Sounds good. When I bought my 6200 over a year ago either the 7k series wasn't out, or only the high end of it was. (I believe.)

      --
      The living have better things to do than to continue hating the dead.
    11. Re:That's what happens... by Emetophobe · · Score: 1

      My thoughts exactly, I have a 22" LCD with a native resolution of 1680x1050. I need a decent card to play all my games at 1680x1050 with max settings and 2xAA/8xAF. I have a X1900XT 256mb and it handles all my games just fine and it only cost me $360 Canadian after tax. If I had a 1900x1200 monitor, I'd probably need an even better video card, or I'd have to reduce the quality settings.

    12. Re:That's what happens... by dami99 · · Score: 1

      What is your problem?

      If I want to spend $500+ on a video card every 4 months, why does that bother you?

      You readily admit you aren't an early adopter, so why do you care that early adopters run into instability problems? Isn't that their choice to make? If am going to buy all the latest tech before it even hit the shelves I expect such issues on occasion.

      As has been said -- without early adopters paying the big $$ for the research, budget products would likely not exist.

    13. Re:That's what happens... by default+luser · · Score: 1

      At that time last year, the 128MB 6600 PCIe was under $100. Although it was impossible for the 6600 to reach the clocks of the venerable 6600 GT, it was significantly faster than the 6200.

      I do agree - the 6200 was a castrated card - no ultrashadow or lossless memory compression - but it was an exception.

      All current 7000-series Nvidia cards have the same feature-set, with the exception of hardware SLI connectors. The 7300 GS is the only TurboCache card, and even with that limitation it manages to outperform the 6200 series it replaced.

      The price / performance ratio of the 7000-series midrange is unbeatable. The 7600 GS is right under $100, featuring 256MB of memory and performance between a 6600 GT and a 6800 of last-generation. The 7600 GT is less than $140, featuring 256MB ram and perfomance about that of a 6800 Ultra of last-generation.

      --

      Man is the animal that laughs.
      And occasionally whores for Karma.

  4. I've seen this before by Ellis+D+Trippman · · Score: 4, Funny

    They probably put the resistor in backwards

    1. Re:I've seen this before by Surt · · Score: 1

      Whoosh!

      --
      "Who is the Journal of Quantum Physics going to believe?" --Stephen Hawking
    2. Re:I've seen this before by mikael · · Score: 1

      Fax received by admin from on-site engineer:

      Manufacturer insists their manufacturing tools have placed the resistor the correct way round.

      Their engineers say the entire reference board has been specified backwards.

      --
      Vintage computer adverts: http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/computers-and-software-ads
  5. Resistor? by VincenzoRomano · · Score: 1
    a resistor controlling 2D/3D switching
    The higher they fly, the noiser the fall!
    Not even a flip-flop or a transistor!
    --
    Maybe Computers will never be as intelligent as Humans.
    For sure they won't ever become so stupid. [VR-1988]
  6. Re:Heh by oc255 · · Score: 1

    ATI has the hardware sans software/marketing. Nvidia has the software and marketing. Although ... recently their drivers have gone the ATI route and are all .NET bloated, and since most *nix distros make ATI drivers easy to install I guess the gap has shrunk a bit. The 8800's numbers look really good, it's impressive. But since D3D 10 isn't out, I don't know what graphics I would be accelerating, dx9 I guess which cheaper cards do right now for less power. This is early adopter stuff. No, I think I'll early adopt an 8-core Mac Pro and get the full trendy-RMA experience like only Apple can deliver.

  7. Re:+1 Scifi nerd by DJCacophony · · Score: 1

    Yes, it is. It's a total recall of 8800GTX's, which is what the summary says and what TFA says.

    --
    Slow Down, Cowboy! It's been 60 minutes since you last successfully posted a comment.
  8. Blame Asus by doormat · · Score: 1

    IIRC, Asus is responsible for the manufacture of all 8800-series boards. The only thing the integrators do is add their cooling solution for the GPU and RAM.

    --
    The Doormat

    If you're not outraged, then you're not paying attention.
    1. Re:Blame Asus by Fallen+Kell · · Score: 1

      No, they aren't the only manufacturer. They might be the ones to blame in this case, but the other companies like BFG, eVGA, and Gigabyte usually create their own customized boards, and don't simply use the reference board. The reference board may be the one that this problem occurs on, and ASUS might be the manufacturer of the reference board, but they most certainly are not the only manufacturer of boards.

      --
      We were all warned a long time ago that MS products sucked, remember the Magic 8 Ball said, "Outlook not so good"
    2. Re:Blame Asus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      It depends on the chip, but most companies tend to stick with the reference design and at most put on higher-end RAM and custom cooling (and then maybe OC the cards and sell them for a markup). Very few of the board makers bother to customize designs anymore beyond really simple things. If the problem is in the reference design then chances are all of the companies are effected. What may be going on here though is that ASUS has exclusive first dibs on making 8800GTX boards and thus are the only ones effected by this. I don't know if nVidia sells temporary exclusivity on new chips, but if ASUS is the only one effected then this is the most likely explanation.

    3. Re:Blame Asus by Emetophobe · · Score: 1

      Nvidia CEO in Taiwan to secure TSMC capacity for DirectX 10-compliant GeForce 8800

      Looks like Nvidia is using Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), atleast for their reference boards anyway.

    4. Re:Blame Asus by doormat · · Score: 1

      This is the article I was referencing..

      http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=35348

      TSMC does chip fabrication. I was talking about the PCB design.

      --
      The Doormat

      If you're not outraged, then you're not paying attention.
  9. Oh No! by mcai8rw2 · · Score: 1

    This is terrible news!

    Oh well...i've waited six months for this card to come out...so a little longer won;t make much difference.

    That said, its a good job they recalled them. I'd be damnably annoyed if i'd just spent $600 on a card that was made broken.

    --
    >>>Scanning for I.D.I.O.T.S. >>>
    >>>I.D.I.O.T.S. FOUND! >>>
  10. Re:+1 Scifi nerd by AKAImBatman · · Score: 1

    It was definitely a bad pun, but one would think that the "+1 SciFi Nerd" would have tipped you off.

    --
    Javascript + Nintendo DSi = DSiCade
  11. Re:+1 Scifi nerd by kfg · · Score: 4, Funny

    So it's not a total recall...

    Even better, the recall took place before the units reached the retail market.

    That's right, they can recall it wholesale.

    KFG

  12. Re:+1 Scifi nerd by tycage · · Score: 1

    Where are my mod points when I need them!

    I nearly fell out of my chair.

  13. Re:+1 Scifi nerd by MMC+Monster · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Heck, where are everyone's mod points.

    Off topic, but things just haven't been mod'ed up lately. Articles with a couple hundred comments, and just a few at +5?

    Why the sudden stinginess with giving out mod points?

    (And, no, I'm not expecting an informative response to this... but it would be nice. :-) )

    --
    Help! I'm a slashdot refugee.
  14. Re:+1 Scifi nerd by kfg · · Score: 1

    As I nearly fell out of mine when I saw that I'd been modded Informative.

    KFG

  15. Re:+1 Scifi nerd by hrrY · · Score: 1

    Check my thread...it seems that all repliers are getting the mod points while the sub-thread parents get just "1"'s...

  16. Re:Heh by Reapman · · Score: 1

    I gave up on ATI... not bad stuff per say, but nVidia actually had the card out when I wanted one (ATI is/was a "canadian" company and you could'nt buy their top end in canada... nice), and I got tired of the hoops to jump through in Linux to make them work. nVidia for me "just worked"

    Note... this is back when 6800 Ultra nVidia's were king, I haven't bought / needed to buy one since. I'm quite happy with my Ultra. Previously to that I had a 9600 Pro, also a good card, but a pita for linux compared to nVidia.

  17. Re:Nerd by Xyleene · · Score: 1

    Don't worry.. He probably didn't understand the reference, stuck in the primordial goo of nerdiness.. to quote the same episode...
    Us that do get the reference are truly superior in our nerdiness..

    --
    Give them the illusion of choice and they will blindly follow for they choose not to make one.
  18. Re:Heh by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

    So uh, if you give up on nVidia, what are you going to do? ATI? They can't write a driver to save their lives and they never have been able to. Intel? They're giving out driver interface specs which is admirable, but they have more powerful 3D chips in PDAs.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  19. Re:Heh by PIBM · · Score: 1

    So you like rmaing things and that's why you get a MAC ? Good for you, I'll stay on my hand chosen hardware and I won't return anything ;)

  20. Re:Heh by Amouth · · Score: 1

    I like ATI mainly because every card is designed for a specific speed.. they all arn't the same damn card over clocked.

    But this only applies to built by ATI.. scew the others .. i still can't belive ATI let others build the cards.. *shudders*

    the 9600pro is a nice card.. i had one then picked up a x800pro.. on regret is that 3 months after i got it they came out with the x850.. same damn card BUT it supports the 30in Apple display.. the x800 has the dual link dvi but can't handel the res.. the x850 can.. I wish i could just pay the diffrence and switch out but their so called upgrade program is crap

    --
    '...if only "Jumping to a Conclusion" was an event in the Olympics.'
  21. Re:+1 Scifi nerd by OldeTimeGeek · · Score: 1

    Informative? It deserves a +5 ultra Scifi nerd for the reference to the movie and the short story.

  22. Re:+1 Scifi nerd by kfg · · Score: 1

    And here I thought I was just being a Dickhead.

    KFG

  23. It's easy. by Ayanami+Rei · · Score: 1

    Don't buy eVGA. Problem solved.

    --
    THIS THING CAN TURN ON A DIME, MACROSSZERO STYLE ALSO FUCK BETA, ~NYORON
    1. Re:It's easy. by Perseid · · Score: 1

      No. eVGA was not the problem with the 7900s and it doesn't look like they're the problem now. All of the companies had problems with their 7900GTs. And when my 7900GT croaked eVGA cross-shipped and paid all the shipping both ways. And overnighted the new card. So eVGA got themselves on my good side. NVidia on the other hand can kiss my ass.

    2. Re:It's easy. by Emetophobe · · Score: 1

      IIRC, eVGA is the only manufacturer that won't void your warranty if you replace their stock cooler with an aftermarket one. Also, eVGA offers a lifetime warranty on their cards.

      eVGA Warranty (As of June 22, 2005, all eVGA cards have a lifetime warranty).

      Disclaimer: I don't work for eVGA, I prefer Sapphire Radeons myself =)

  24. Re:Heh by Mattintosh · · Score: 2, Funny

    But... but... but Apple's RMA's are all shiny and smooth and sleek and white and are printed up in that oh-so-classy Apple Garamond font face!

  25. Re:Official comment from NVIDIA by Perseid · · Score: 1

    Well, at least NVidia is accepting the blame for this one. I still don't think they admitted the 7900 fiasco was their fault(which it was). My next video card is going to be ATI. Kick-ass forceware or not, I can't trust these people anymore.

  26. Re:+1 Scifi nerd by Babbster · · Score: 1

    I think there was a log-jam somewhere in the system. I had mod points that were set to expire on 10/29 which were showing as available when I logged in yesterday (I don't mod much, but I like to have the option to do so on occasion, so I haven't set myself to "no-mod").

  27. Re:Heh by Emetophobe · · Score: 1
    ATI is/was a "canadian" company and you could'nt buy their top end in canada... nice

    Where do you live in Canada? I live in Markham, where ATI was founded, and I have no problem finding an X1900GT, X1900XT, X1900XTX or even an X1950XTX at local stores. Do you live out in the boonies?
  28. Re:Heh by Emetophobe · · Score: 1

    Apparently you haven't noticed the trend lately, Nvidia drivers are getting worse, while ATI drivers are getting better (atleast on Windows). I own 3 Radeons, a 9600XT, X800 GTO2 and an X1900XT and they all work great. I've used every Catalyst version since 5.4 and they've much better. Sure, Catalyst loads slowly, but how often do you actually load the Catalyst Control Center to change driver settings? Also, if you disable the custom catalyst skin and select "system skin" (see preferences tab), it will load atleast twice as fast since it uses the current windows theme instead of loading the custom catalyst skin.

  29. Re:Heh by Emetophobe · · Score: 2, Informative

    ATI had the same problem with the X1800 series, it happens in the manufacturing world, especially with something as complex as a high end video card. I believe the original 7900s had issues with the voltage regulators.

  30. Re:Heh by drinkypoo · · Score: 1
    Sure, Catalyst loads slowly, but how often do you actually load the Catalyst Control Center to change driver settings?

    I don't know, because if I have it installed, the system blue screens on every boot. If I boot up in safe mode and uninstall it, then boot up, system boots fine.

    The system is also dramatically more stable with some old-ass hacked-up DNA drivers than with the commercial drivers which are a whole version ahead of DNA right now.

    ATI getting better at writing drivers? I call shenanigans! Maybe I'll try them again in another few years but it's too soon since the last time I got burned.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  31. Re:+1 Scifi nerd by StikyPad · · Score: 1

    It goes through waves. In early August, most colleges started back-to-school, the same thing happened. I'm not sure if that's relevant at all, but there definately seems to be a moderation famine every so often.

    --
    https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere
  32. If a tree claps and no one's around to hear it... by StikyPad · · Score: 1

    If a product is recalled before any have been sold, is it really a recall?

    --
    https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere
  33. Really? by Ayanami+Rei · · Score: 1

    Well that's something. I've had problems with eVGA-anything when it comes to NVidia, but PNY Quadros, Asus 6800s and 7800s, no problem.

    --
    THIS THING CAN TURN ON A DIME, MACROSSZERO STYLE ALSO FUCK BETA, ~NYORON
  34. Official Statement from Nvidia by dimfeld · · Score: 1

    bit-tech has an official statement from Nvidia here. Nvidia specified an incorrect resistor value in their bill of materials, so the manufacturer did its job correctly, but had slightly incorrect instructions.

  35. Re:Heh by name*censored* · · Score: 1

    So the choice is between HARDWARE that doesn't work (nVidia, OT) and SOFTWARE that doesn't work (ATI, PP) (and HARDWARE and SOFTWARE that both work, but neither work very well)?

    --
    Commodore64_love: I don't comprehend people who're so frightened of death that they'll bankrupt themselves to stay alive
  36. Re:If a tree claps and no one's around to hear it. by default+luser · · Score: 1

    Well, lookie here! Over the last week, brick & mortar retailers AND etailers across the country have done a boneheaded thing and sold the cards to customers early.

    Funny thing: many customers noticed glitches in 3D mode...what a coincidence! I guess we do need a recall!

    --

    Man is the animal that laughs.
    And occasionally whores for Karma.